


Raindrops and Puddles

by ShadoWind



Category: OMORI (Video Game)
Genre: Childhood Memories, Established Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, One Shot, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Sunburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 14:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30023280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadoWind/pseuds/ShadoWind
Summary: Rainy days have never been a favorite for Sunny. More often than not, they bring up many complications that he would rather not deal with. But like any other seasonal weather, they have their own benefits. He will just need a small push to let him see the light of day. And soon a pouring afternoon will bloom something that he would cherish for his life.
Relationships: Aubrey/Sunny (OMORI)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 82





	Raindrops and Puddles

**Author's Note:**

> WOW!! I ACTUALLY FINISHED SOMETHING!!!
> 
> *Cough* I mean... Oh hello! This is a fic I have been (lazily) making for a while now. This is my first ever fanfic that I am publicly releasing, so criticism would be greatly appreciated. I hope you enjoy.

The rainy days of Faraway Town were always plentiful in the Spring. For weeks, the outside world shared a similar state as today’s. Moody dark blue clouds. Drops of water pattering against the roofs of houses, cars, and umbrellas alike. Puddles of all shapes and sizes filled the streets and sidewalks, only continuing to grow as more droplets rippled their surfaces. The scent of the soaked yards being impossible to escape from for those who decided to move on foot.

In the midst of all the falling water and the occasional car slowly rolling through the slippery roads was an unmissable pink beacon. There walked a young girl who practically covered herself head to toe with her favorite bright color. From her umbrella, to her raincoat with matching boots, to even the little hair bow that sat perfectly atop her head. Her flowing black hair that swung around each step she took was the only other standout color she wore to pair with her clothing.

As she continued down the sidewalk, the girl could hardly keep her steps at a constant pattern as she followed her own beat. Her voice hummed a cheery song she had grown a liking to, albeit quite offbeat than what she was hoping to aim for. Her walk would go on and on until she would be ready to turn to cross the street. Though, before she could move down the road, her head instead turns to the right to scan the view as the song in her head pauses.

Faraway Park. A place that her, as well as many other town folks, hold dear to their hearts. It has been left barren due to the weather, with the only activity remaining being the pouring water from atop the various playground equipment and basketball hoops. Left barren, aside from one lonely soul. Right across from the park’s main entrance stood a large tree. Just barely peeking off to the side was the sight of a dull gray raincoat, coupled with dark blue jeans and the back of a boy’s black hair. This kid would easily blend in for any other passerby... with only a few people as exceptions.

“Sunny?! Is that you back there?” The boy turned his head around to look past the tree at the call of that name, showing off the rest of his hair that stuck to his forehead from all the water poured on him.

“Oh… hi Aubrey…” Despite such a monotone response and a nearly empty expression, Aubrey’s face could only light up to see her friend as she left wet tracks against the grass to join him. And although Sunny also enjoyed the company of a close friend, he hardly budged from his spot against the tree bark as he waited for her to stop beside him.

“So, whatcha doing here?” She extends a hand towards the park, both to aid her question and to catch a few fresh raindrops that manage to sneak past the shade of the tree. “It’s a little lonely here, don’t you think?”

“Yeah. Kind of… why I ended up here.” Sunny’s always had a hard time bringing his voice to a decent hearing level, especially during other commotions in the background like rain. It has been a habit he wishes to break, but progress is always bleak with Sunny and social goals. Fortunately, Aubrey still nods in understanding his quiet words, after years of having to adapt with him.

“So uh…” Slowly, her head tilted to the side. “Are you bothered at all that I showed up?”

“Oh no. That’s not what I meant…” He raises his arm slightly, performing as little motions needed to wave away her assumption. “I just… kind of wanted to get away from the rain a bit. And didn’t want anyone to see me…”

“Aww, why not?” She rested a hand on his right shoulder, only to retreat back after feeling the cold water completely covering her hand after a single touch. It only then hit her just how drenched her friend was. Every part of him, from his hair to the edges of his clothes, was constantly dripping despite the ample protection the tree gave the two. The entire upper part of his coat was darkened from how soaked it was, with only a small spot above his right leg keeping its original color. Aubrey was about to ask if he even left with an umbrella at all, until she noticed it closed, sitting half covered in the grass beside him.

“Uh, I was walking back home after looking through the comics at Hobbeez… Kel wasn’t around to come with me, so I went by myself. And uh… I uh… A car drove by and splashed a puddle all over me…” Sunny eyes dragged off towards the trees of the park, not wanting to have either of their dark eyes to make eye contact as he fully expects his story to make his friend feel bad.

That expectation shattered as he heard a bubbly laugh burst out from the person to his right. A small shock coursed through his body the moment it started. His head turned back as he watched her slowly open her eyes again after her laughing trailed off. “...ahahah~ That’s it, Sunny? I mean, yeah it’s not so fun to have your clothes all cold. But it’s nothing to make a big deal over.” Aubrey’s smile shined all over her, hoping it would be infectious enough to help him.

“Well… but there’s just… there’s a lot that I…”

“Sunny. You’re making it seem like these rain puddles are gonna melt you. Considering you’re standing right here…” She gave a little push with her left arm, making sure not to put enough force to physically move him from his comfy spot on the tree. “...I’m pretty sure you’re doing just fine.”

“But I…” His eyes once again started gluing itself to the nearby forestry, feeling embarrassment begin to seep through just like all the water covering him. “I don’t wanna be a bother to anyone else. I don’t wanna go home like this.”

“What? Like sitting around here and just showing up later is gonna change that?” Since he was so determined to be looking away, she went ahead and just skipped right into his view instead, making sure her contagious smile could not leave his sight. “Come on Sunny! Your parents and Mari aren’t gonna hate you for coming home dripping wet. They’ll fix you up no problem. They aren’t like my mom!”

Quickly twirling around before either of them could process her previous comment, she crouched down to pick up Sunny’s umbrella to return it to his hands. He could only stare at the item for so long before Aubrey began rattling it in her hands with sparkles in her eyes. With a deep breath, he slowly raised his hands, back still planted against the tree, and began grasping it. The moment she felt the weight of the umbrella transfer from her hand to his, she immediately took off towards the streets of Faraway again, free arm locking with one of Sunny’s as he was forcibly moved back into the pouring rain once again.

“Come on, let’s go! I was on my way home too anyways. So we might as well go together.” She let go of Sunny as she began walking ahead of him, eventually transitioning back to her skipping patterns she was doing before this meeting.

Sunny’s eyes remained glued on his friend as he watched her moving towards the streets with hardly a care, eventually stopping to check both her sides before considering to continue her path. Rain continued to patter against the top of his head as he remained stiff in place since she separated from him. His head turned back towards the little spot he had made himself comfortable in for the past couple of minutes. He felt like just sitting back under the tree like a new second home to him. Or perhaps even go further into the park and find rest in the little personal hideout that only he and a few others knew about.

All that consideration was halted as he heard the shout of his name again, prompting him to turn back forward to see Aubrey’s bright smile again as she was waving him down. As much as he prefered keeping that lone wolf act of his, he could never stick with it whenever a friend or family member drags him off for his greater good. With a quick shut of his eyes, and a deep breath coming through his nose and out his mouth, he began stepping forward as the umbrella in his hands started opening up.

\--------------------------------

The two followed the path, eyes focused on an upcoming crossroad that would lead to their main destination. Aubrey’s movement had already returned to her little rain dance, only this time she opted not to hum so loudly with company tagging with her. Sunny was on the other side of the coin however. His walk remained stiff and at a constant speed. His face was still as that signature stone cold stare that everyone in town knew him for. Both kids side by side were like comparing light and dark. More specifically, pink and gray.

Every step of the way, Sunny was getting more lost in his own thoughts. He felt his little headspace fill with nothing but water, flooding itself inch by inch as he watched the rain pour down his umbrella. The small kicks against the various puddles on the sidewalk were a primary distraction for his quiet self. He was ready to begin daydreaming on the spot, were it not for the sound of rolling tires bringing his mind back to Earth. As the vehicle came closer and closer, he naturally shifted himself to the right, being a mere inch from stepping onto the grass. The car eventually passed by into his field of view as it drove forward, dragging the water behind its wheels. Only then did he feel like converging back to the center of the path.

A little snort escaped Aubrey as she watched his movements off to the side of her peripheral vision. “Are you really gonna be scared of every car now whenever it rains?”

“Well… I wouldn’t say I’m scared. I’m just...”

“Just what?” She asks as she gives a small kick to the water beneath her, tossing a small wave forward. “You are already soaked, so not like it could get much worse.” Sunny’s hand began to raise up, readying himself to refute her statement. But before words could leave him, Aubrey’s attention was suddenly caught by the reflection of her bright pink clothing from the ground. Just before the turning point of the crossroads, there were a couple of small puddles, calmly resting on the cement with only a few ripples of raindrops disturbing them.

It would soon escalate once the smile on Aubrey’s face grew wider as she gave one large leap forward right onto the closest spot. A small explosion of water splashed all around her, forcing Sunny to hop backwards a few inches to avoid collateral damage. Despite the worried look in his eyes, Aubrey constantly stomped her little legs in place, relishing in this moment of joy where she felt like half her age again.

In the midst of all her laughter, Sunny slowly walked forward, making sure none of her splashing around would reach him. “Uh… should we really be...”

“Oh come on. Like I said before, this isn’t gonna melt you. Just jump in! Lighten up a little!” Not even a second to consider before she jumps another time forward, creating a second burst that became big enough that even Sunny could not avoid it if he tried. Right when he felt like his leggings were starting to dry up, he felt it dampen once again as a surprising amount of the pool crashed right into them. For a few long seconds, he only stood in place while he stared down as the liquid trickled down him. The shine in Aubrey’s eyes faltered as she walked towards him. “Uh… Sorry about that. I uh- didn’t think it’d be that big. Umm… You know, don’t worry about what I said. I guess it is kinda silly of me to…”

Just as she was preparing to lend her hand to his shoulders, his head finally panned back up, where Sunny revealed a small grin forming on the side of his lip. Even though it was not that far off of his usual face, it was still quite a shock for her to see since even an expression this minimal was a rarity for him. And before she could ask what it was for, he was already feeling himself flying off the ground, landing right by her side as one remaining puddle called to his name.

“Ah! Hey!” Rainwater launched all around the impact, a majority of them freezing up Aubrey’s lower legs and boots. She instinctively took a step back, but not before giving a light kick to the ground to retaliate the same treatment towards him. Her joyous laughter had already made a comeback, and was effectively keeping the smile on Sunny’s face from leaving early. The two of them continued their back and forth counterattacks until the pools of liquid have all disappeared, with a majority of its remnants now slowly drying off of their clothing and skin. By the end of it all, Aubrey was prepared to almost fall forwards from how hard she was laughing, while Sunny was trying his best to keep in giggles of his own as his cheeks slowly started relaxing back to neutral.

In the midst of all of their fun, they hardly even noticed that a third individual was slowly making their way towards their area from the path they had just walked down. “Oh! Hey Basil!”

The two turned to watch a blonde boy with a light green raincoat make his way to join them. His arm wrapped around a matching umbrella as his hands were occupied handling a small camera that he had very much grown attached to. “Hey you two! Looks like you were having fun.” With a few final clicks of his device, a sweet smile grew on his face as he steadily raised it to his face, aiming the lens towards his friends. “Say cheese!”

Sunny hardly did anything to change his pose for the picture. Fully ready to have it capture his wet hair and boring pose, he simply opened his mouth to let out a long “cheeee...”

“CHEEEESE~” After hearing a few quick footsteps from behind, time suddenly slowed to a crawl as Sunny felt a large amount of weight tackle him from his right. The only sound that his brain could process was his slow heartbeat that seemed to be the only thing running at normal speed. He could feel a pair of pink arms instantaneously wrap themselves around his shoulders, applying plenty of force to squeeze them together. His eyes widen, feeling like he could see every individual raindrop animate downwards in his slow motion state. A few strands of black hair that were too long to be his started shifting to the very edge of his vision.

And like the cherry on the top of this frozen moment, he then began to feel something gently push itself against his cheek. Its soft warmth was calming at first. But as he felt more pressure against his shoulders, his breath stopped as he realized what exactly was beside his face. Immediately, his heart rate multiplied to uncontrollable speeds. Heat overloaded the gears in his mind, trying not to burst itself of embarrassment.

With a loud and bright camera flash, Sunny suddenly tipped over to the left as he could both hear, feel, and see the rainy environment return to normal. He felt Aubrey separate herself from him before he could fully fall over. “Oh! Oh! I wanna see the picture!” She gleefully ran up to their personal photographer as he waited for his camera to finish printing.

Meanwhile, Sunny could barely hold his breath after that everlasting second and had been attempting to catch a stable one ever since. Breathe in through the nose. Breathe out through the mouth. Exactly like he was taught. All of the heat rushing through his head had finally found itself to his face, bringing in a heavy red blush. He rubbed one of his hands against his cheeks, hoping that he could rub the color away with minimal success.

While he was busy hiding his face, he heard the anxious cheers of the girl who put him in such a state. She looked closely at the recently created photo in Basil’s hand. “Hey Sunny!” She restlessly started waving in his direction. “Come take a look!”

Hesitatingly, Sunny walked towards the pair to look over their little reward. His blush was still taking time to fade, however he was hoping the two would not focus so much on his face until then. The three kids crowded around the special piece of paper.

Sunny appeared exactly how he had expected it to look. The bangs of his hair completely stuck to his forehead and left unfixed. Mouth was curved downward, not stressing a single muscle for a different expression. The only part he did not plan were his eyes, which were left ready to pop out as if he witnessed something indescribable. Although he would have preferred his usual glare, he was just glad the photo was taken before most of his face turned red.

Most of it hardly mattered though, as the main star of it all was clearly Aubrey. Even ignoring the fact that her coat and umbrella automatically makes her so eye catching within the ocean of dull colors, from the cloudy background to her own picture buddy, her expression alone stole the show. A massive smile planted on her face that simply radiated pure glee, forcing her own eyes to close just to fully reveal it. Her hair still blew off to the side, not having settled after her flying hug just yet. And her tight embrace that made the sides of their head squish against each other multiplied the cuteness factor even further.

Sunny would not dare admit it, but he found it so difficult to focus on a different aspect of the photo other than Aubrey. It felt odd to him, considering there has been plenty of other pictures taken of her before, yet this one in particular had his sights glued to it. Even with all the ecstatic hops being performed by the actual Aubrey beside him, he simply could not distract himself away from it.

“So~” Aubrey lightly bumped her elbow against Basil’s. “How is it? Do I look adorable here or what?” The sparkles in her eyes returned after her simple question.

“Yeah, I think so. You both look great here, actually. Don’t you agree, Sunny?” Basil turned towards his friend, who was still clearly fixated on the photo. He gave nothing but a light nod without breaking his sight.

“So, got any ideas how your side note is gonna look like yet?”

“Hmm…” Basil pondered Aubrey’s question, giving the image a good scan as he put some thoughts into words.

“... Found Aubrey and Sunny playing in the rain today while I was on my way home. Really seemed to be enjoying themselves too. Honestly hit a nostalgic bone in my body just watching them. Sometimes, it’s even the little things in life that get to us.”

“Aww, that’s so nice Basil!” Aubrey’s comment was followed up by another one of Sunny’s nods. “You’ve always been so good at these.”

“Ah, I can’t get all the credit.” Basil’s grin grew larger as he carefully placed the photo in a safer place within his coat. Sunny’s trance with the paper is finally broken. He spent a few seconds just blinking before allowing himself to look around and towards his friends again. “I have to give some of it to you guys too. I wouldn’t have so many wonderful memories to work with if everyone in our group didn’t work so well together.”

“Oh, absolutely! Me. Mari. Sunny. You. Kel and Hero. We’re like the perfect gang. And NOTHING will change that.” Aubrey pumps up one of her arms, feeling a fiery spirit build from it.

“Haha, yeah.” Basil then began to roll his arm against his green umbrella, until it eventually landed firmly in his hand. “Well, I’d love to catch up more with you guys, but I’ll need to go check up on my flowers.”

“That’s fine.” Sunny was finally able to speak up as the listener of this whole exchange. “Aubrey was just walking me home anyways.”

“Alright then. Well see you two later. We’re still meeting up with everyone else this weekend, right?”

Aubrey gave an enthusiastic little jump to his question. “Of course! Even if it rains all week, there’s no way we’re canceling!”

“Ah, right. Right. Well, see ya guys.” After Basil waves the other two off, they both begin taking opposite directions of the crossroad, with Aubrey and Sunny traveling west together.

After passing a few different houses on the street, they finally stop in front of Sunny’s. A two story house consisting primarily of white and brown paint for the colors and has its front yard completely clean of litter or excess decorations, save for a few small pinwheels that struggled to stay turning with all the continuous raindrops hitting every side of it.

“Well Sunny, guess I’ll see you around. And remember, don’t worry so much about what your parents or what your sister will think. You’ll be fine.”

Sunny gave one last nod to his friend before moving towards the front door. He could hear Aubrey start to skip her way back where they came. A few steps forward, and he suddenly felt like stopping. “Oh… hey Aubrey?” The skipping behind him came to a sudden pause. He turned around, seeing his friend curiously look over the fence in his front yard.

“Aubrey, I uh… … Thanks. For walking me here. I… really appreciated it.”

“No problem, Sunny.” She started pumping her arm in the air again with that same determined energy from before. “You’re always there for my swing set talks. So I’ll be here for you too.” Sunny turned back towards his house, actively trying to hold back a smile that is quivering to show itself. Aubrey watched him walk until he reached his front door.

“Just like I said before, Sunny! We’re an inseparable group! And no amount of rain shall ever stop us!!”

\--------------------------------

Later that day, the unstoppable girl let out a long groan as she shivered from within her pink blanket on top of her bed. She constantly twisted and turned around in her sleepwear, trying to find a spot best comfortable for herself. Her bedhead hair had already begun to develop, along with her face becoming noticeably paler. Above her was the constant pouring of what caused her ailment in the first place, crashing into the roof and echoing itself in her attic bedroom.

“Ehhhh… This stinks. Kel practically bathes and drinks rainwater every day. How come he gets by just fine!?” A few light coughs escaped from her throat as she laid half of her face into her pillow. She sighed as her lips transitioned to a pout, yearning for the moment she became well enough to even walk around her own room. Everytime she felt like getting up, the cold brought her back down. Her favorite blanket and stuffed eggplant plush were her saving graces in these troubling times.

The pattering of rain continued all day, even accelerating since the minute she had returned home. Half of her expected thunder to arrive at any moment, but fortunately she would be spared that trouble. With hardly any strength to move around anymore, she began snuggling with her little plush as the drowsiness kicked in.

Hardly a minute passed until her eyes fully shut and her breathing greatly softened.

\--------------------------------

A few blocks away, Sunny was barely doing any better. The coughing and sneezing fits has hit him plenty all night. The struggle to stay awake has already begun with his eyes constantly closing and reopening themselves slowly. For a while, he has been staring at the old computer on his desk, and while he would love to be wasting time away on it, the simple act of sitting up on a chair to type takes a toll on his energy.

His bedroom door opened up, revealing a tall redheaded woman with a bright dress walking in with a folded blanket. “Here you are, Sunny. One extra, just as you asked.” She walked towards him as she unfolded it before carefully wrapping it around the other covering on his bed. “Now, mommy has to go do some housework. I’ll leave the door open, so call me if you need anything else.”

“Thanks. I uh… Really feel bad to have gotten sick tonight.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, hon. There’s nothing you could have done about it. And you know I’ll always be there for you.” She let out a sweet smile as she gave a quick hug to her only son, before heading back to the same door she entered from. “Oh, and Mari should be practicing soon. So hopefully you won’t be too bored laying around.”

Right on queue, a few grand piano notes rang through the house as Sunny was left alone in his bed. His entire body relaxed as the soothing instrument started playing a familiar tune. This was a song that Mari has been working on ever since the start of Spring. It was a simple, yet beautiful piece that she would manage to learn in just a few sessions before mastering it. She mentioned before that it would be a song that would truly give the calming sensation that you experience under a rainy day. At first, he did not understand what she would mean. But every pouring night that she practiced in, those fragments felt like they started connecting.

The music continued on with the rain running in the background as if another instrument playing support. This peaceful moment was a prime time for Sunny to day dream, which ended up being his own self proclaimed skill. He let his mind wander as he stared up at the ceiling, fully expecting to find himself in a colorful world that he has been building up over the years. One where he has taken much inspiration from his own friends, town, and whatever game or comic he was into at the time.

Although he tried, he was unable to tap into that imaginative brain of his quite yet. Instead, all the flowing water from above was pulling him to reminisce back to just hours ago. All that time under the tree. The entire walk from the park to his home. The moment he stopped giving a single care in the world. And the bonding he had with his flower loving best friend over a new memory sealed in his album.

Through all those flashbacks however, his sights were fixated on one thing the entire time. Or rather, one person. The girl who managed to pull him out of his sad space that he trapped himself in. The same girl who managed to make him lighten up and find a new way to have fun. The same girl whose choice in clothing and movement was impossible to miss from a mile away. And the same girl whose emotions were so blindingly powerful that even a robotic hermit like himself could find it admirable and infectious.

Sunny snuggled against his two blankets, wondering why exactly he was so focused on the events of today. He was typically good at finding the perfect words to describe things, but tonight his thought process just felt jumbled. Either way, he was hoping that his sickness would end as soon as possible, or at the very least not drag on to the weekend. He could not wait to actually move again. He could not wait to see his friends again.

He could not wait to see Aubrey again.

Mari’s song had started to slow itself down as its final notes were becoming drowned out by the rain. Sunny imagined her fingers delicately pushing against the keys and dancing her hand around them, until she finally rested on the last required set of buttons. As the finishing note dragged on, Sunny’s eyes slowly started closing themselves. By the time his sister was readying herself for her next melody, his breathing had been paired with extremely light snores.

\--------------------------------

Another Spring rainy day has arrived in Faraway, topped with the same sights, sounds, and cold that is to be expected. Beside one of the streets were a pair of young kids playing around in some newly made water puddles. One was a boy sporting a snug red raincoat, while the other was a girl in a matching blue one. The two laughed with pure joy as they jumped and splashed to their hearts’ content.

From the other side of the street arrived a second pair. This one featured two high schoolers with a number of stand out features. One was a boy with a familiar style of black hair. His right hand firmly held a gray umbrella that the two of them were sharing during their travels. The poor boy only had a single eye to guide his walking, as his right one was covered by an eyepatch that hid away an incident he wished to forget. His face accessory was black, which happened to perfectly match the color of his jacket for today’s weather.

Walking alongside him to his right was a girl, who barely wins in the height competition by a few inches and whose appearance had even more stories to tell. From her white sweater to her bright pink dyed hair, it was impossible for anyone to not spot her in a crowd. And as the icing on the cake of popping colors, she had a turquoise handkerchief tied into a bow on top of a hairband, both of which matched her eyes which were the result of colored contacts.

Her eyes would roll as she took in her surroundings, letting one of her arms poke out from beneath their shade to feel a water droplet hit her. “Of course, of all the stupid days, it had to rain today. We literally checked all week to make sure it would be clear today.”

“Welp. Can’t win them all, Aubrey.” The boy reached his left hand out to feel a raindrop of his own, only to immediately retract once it landed.

Aubrey let out an annoyed sigh. “You’re only here for Spring break though. And this was supposed to be the ‘Sunny Week,’ as Kel would never stop calling it.”

“Hey, I don’t mind. We’ll figure something out. We don’t have to be outside every day to have a good time.” The two of them continued down the sidewalk, looking straight forward until Sunny heard some of the splashing splash coming from across the road. He panned his head to the left, watching the children dance around with their never ending laughter. He continued staring, summoning many memories in his mind at once, until a hand showed up in his view and waved itself up and down.

“Sunny? You there?”

His one eye blinked rapidly as he returned to Earth. “Ah… sorry. It’s just...” Now both of them were looking at the kids having the time of their lives. Although Aubrey was squinting, trying to find what exactly the point of interest was. “Hey. Do you uh… do you remember that one time you walked me home as a kid? After I got soaked by a car?”

Air inhaled through her teeth as she tried to tap into the same memory he was mentioning. “Mmmm… I know you are way better at remembering things than me and all, but no I don’t. Was it something important?” She lightly bit into her bottom lip, hoping her answer would not offend him.

Fortunately, he replied to her reaction with a simple wave. “No, you’re fine. It may not have been a big moment for you. But…” Sunny lightly tapped his fingers against the fabric of his jeans, thinking of if he should resume. He tilted his head side to side a few times until he had decided. “But… I think it was one of the first moments that sparked my crush for you.”

Aubrey let out her first smile of the day. “Aww. Really?” It was short lived as she followed up with a sigh and brought one of her palms to her face. “Ah man. Now I’m really gonna feel bad for forgetting something like that.”

“Well, do you at least remember the picture? The one Basil took of us playing in the rain? Either way, it’s fine, really. Just to see if it can jog anything.”

“Um… Rain photo… Playing in the rain…” Her facepalm transitioned into a thinker’s pose as she tries recollecting even a small flame to work with. Then it hit her, dimly lighting the lightbulb in her mind. That same exact bulb then grew bright as she now wore a little smirk while looking at Sunny. “Oh, yeah. I actually remember that photo. You mean the one where I did… THIS!?”

Aubrey’s arms shot forwards, instantaneously wrapping themselves around Sunny. And with less than half a second to react, she pushed her left cheek against his right. His body tensed up, frozen in her sudden embrace. He would have dropped his umbrella out of shock if he did not immediately tighten his grip on reaction. She could have sworn that she heard a mouse squeak coming from his throat as well.

She could no longer resist keeping in a hearty laugh as she held him tight to make sure he did not fall over. “Hahahahaha~ Sorry. But you set that up perfectly for me.” She moved herself back to her normal position, leaving only her left arm still wrapped around his shoulder. Sunny’s cheeks were still a flaring red as an aftermath, and the top of his head felt like it was boiling with a nervous steam. Every time Aubrey looked over to see her work, she could not help but chuckle.

Sunny took a few deep breaths and began clearing his throat as his face slowly returned to its original color. “Man. I-I’m always impressed h-how you do that so naturally.”

“Well, if you wanna lead a gang, you gotta have that kind of confidence. Just gotta… see your opportunities, and hit it hard.” She took an extra large step forward for emphasis, pulling Sunny right with her as a result.

“Y-yeah.” He tilted his head down, getting a good view of the strong arm that has made itself comfortable around him. “Honestly, kind of a miracle I ended up dating someone as cool as you. I mean... Sometimes I wonder if I really deserve…”

Aubrey took no time to ball up her right hand and softly knock it against his forehead. Despite it only being a gentle tap, it was still enough to make him flinch and stop his speech. Although this reaction would usually trigger another laugh from her, she still kept a serious face in the moment.

“Sunny. You know how much I hate it when you say things like that.”

“Well… I mean, you’ve just done so much for me. And I…”

“Sunny, come on. You know very well that all this is not one sided. You’ve gotten me pass a lot of trouble just by listening to my dumb vents. Heck, you’re one of the main reasons why I can even hang out with others outside of the Hooligans anymore. And besides, even if it was one sided, we’re still happy together. And that’s all that matters.”

He focused himself into letting out a deep sigh. “Right, sorry… It’s just that it’s true that…” He suddenly felt Aubrey’s left arm tighten, bringing him closer at the drop of the hat and calming him down. “R-right. Sorry…”

Her grin was slowly shaping itself back. “I love you Sunny. But you really gotta work on all that.”

“Slowly but surely, I’m getting better. If I’m correct, I should reach all my personal goals in about… 10 years. Give or take.” He dramatically shrugged his left arm up.

She half jokingly shook her head upon hearing that number. “Well I sure hope the answer is ‘take.’ Otherwise, you’re really taking me for a long run, huh?”

“At the very least, I can be certain that I’m meeting at least one of my goals.”

“Oh? And that goal would be?”

“To smile more.”

“And you’re confident in that answer?”

“Trust me. Ever since I confessed to you months ago, I don’t even have to try to work towards it when I hang out with you.”

His blank expression began curving upwards, fully aware that his statement had struck a lovely chord in both their hearts. His positivity grew larger as he felt their two heads push together again, with Aubrey opting to use her lips to touch his cheek instead. She pushed her forehead against the side of his, yearning to close the gap between them as much as possible. Their walk has come to a standstill as the two basked in the current moment.

Sunny rolled his head to the side until their eyes met face to face. His body twisted to push it towards hers, allowing her arm to more comfortably fold around his back. They both stared for a while, fueling each other's happiness seeing their partner’s become stronger. The two of them could be satisfied just staying in this position for hours. But deep down, they wanted more.

Aubrey was the one to fully close the space between them. She brought one of her hands to gently left his chin with one of her fingers. All of their eyes slowly closed as their soft lips found each other. Her lips delicately covered the top of his mouth, while Sunny did the same to the bottom of her’s. Both of her arms embraced him, pushing against his back to deepen their kiss and keep him close.

Sunny’s body was melting with joy. If he was not being so tightly held right now, he would have been ready to crumble on the spot. The grip on his umbrella significantly loosened, letting the rod rest on his shoulder to keep it from falling to the floor. The cloth tipped towards his back, masking the couple’s romantic act from any potential passerby. Much of the rain began falling onto Aubrey’s back, but neither of them could not care less. There was no other situation with his girlfriend where he ever felt more loved, more cared for, or more protected than he was right now.

Their lips soon parted, yet they still kept inches close to each other as their eyes opened once more. A bright blush has now spread to both of their faces. As they stared at each other’s beaming smiles, their hearts felt so warm. Moments like these reminded Sunny of all the reasons they ended up together. And thinking back, both of them have gone through so much in the past to lead up to this. Trauma. Experience. Change.

However, no matter how much additional baggage they carry around, or how much their appearances change, or how drastic their friend groups are altered, in the end they are still themselves from years ago. The ones that each of them cared for and fell in love with.

All of Sunny’s weight gradually returned to his own legs as Aubrey’s arms slid off his back and allowed both of them to stand up straight again. She began running her fingers through her pink hair to not only ring out excess water droplets, but to also distract herself from getting lost in his eyes forever. Sunny did the same by turning his head towards the empty street while he struggles to steady the grip of his umbrella.

Aubrey was the first to break the silence as she lightly punched his arm. “Alright, l-let’s get moving. We’re already taking the long route. If we take any longer, the guys will get fishy about us.” He did not say anything and only replied with a simple nod while his flustered smile fruitlessly tried relaxing. They restarted their walk cycle together, now able to hear the splashing water under their feet again after what felt like years to them.

The joyous kids from across the street became harder to hear with every additional step they took. The raindrops continued to pour at that perfect rate of not being too bothersome but still supplying the environment with that earthy scent. The sun felt like it was ready to part the clouds any moment to give a break to all the cool air. But no matter how the weather plans to go the rest of the day, nothing could change the pure bliss the two were locked in currently.

Today became one of many reasons that solidified Sunny’s appreciation for rain.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to give a big shoutout to all writers on Omoricord for giving me some inspiration and confidence in writing. Many of the fanfics I have planned for the future are ones that stemmed from conversations there, so stay tuned for more (if college doesn't kill me beforehand).
> 
> As a bonus note: Why "Raindrops and Puddles?"  
> This title is a reference to a song that is a part of one of my favorite visual novel OSTs. That being Raindrops and Puddles - Katawa Shoujo. It's a song that gives me a lot of nostalgia to listen to and is one of the most soothing tunes I've heard, both aspects that I hope is conveyed well in this story.
> 
> Again, I hope you enjoyed and if you have any criticism for my writing, feel free to let me know.


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